Case closing and sealing apparatus



5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 18, 1947 Z 'Dld 0.].

R E 50 MS R L of; M U T E T f. N m 2 v O A H z m W RW M MT M D m mm KEH m wmlflm NW1 A/ Ii IF A :v W 8 mm, IW J 5 O 1 w L mw N 7 M mm m 5 a c ?1 Q Feb. 20, 1951 K. HOLSTEBROE ETAL 2,542,083

CASE CLOSING AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 TO FIG I E A w I g O A U A -E: N

Q q 0 A 2.: LI. C o v N A V 9 T A m INVENTORS KAYYE HOLSTEBROE EDGAR ARDE LL. H. STEPHEN KAYSER I 77/071? ATTORNEYS Feb. 20, 1951 K. HOLSTEBROE EIAL CASE CLOSING AND SEALING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 18, 1947 FIG.3

INVENTORS KAYE HOLSTEBROE EDGAR ARDELL H STEPHEN KAYS'ER Tf/fY/T ATTORNEYS Feb. 20, 1951 K. HOLSTEBROE ETAL CASE CLOSING AND SEALING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 18, 1947 INVENTORS KAYE HOLSTEBROE EDGAR ARDELL H. STEPHEN KAYSER FHA-7n? ATTORNEYS Feb. 20, 1951 K. HOLSTEBROE ETAL 2,542,083

CASE CLOSING AND SEALING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 18, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ullnllllltllllll u u u u u u u u H u n II 11 n u n u u u u II n u u u u FIG. 6

INVENTORS KAYE HOLSTEBROE EDGAR ARDELL Y H. STEPHEN KAYSER Patented Feb. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CASE CLOSING AND SEALING APPARATUS tion of Delaware Application November 18, 1947, Serial No. 786,636

6 Claims.

This invention relates to semi-automatic apparatus for packing, closing and sealing shippin cases made of corrugated board, fibreboard and the like and having flaps which are foldable to close, or form, the bottoms and tops of the cases. More particularly the invention relates to apparatus for facilitating the hand packing of the shipping cases, being semi-automatic with respect to the packing operation, the remaining operations of closing and sealing the flaps being entirely automatic, and the general object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus of this kind.

Machines which are wholly automatic in their operation for packing, or inserting the contents of the case, such as food packages, cans or bottles and the like are in common use, as well as wholly automatic machines for closing and sealing the case flaps. These machines, however, are comparatively expensive and their use is .iustified only in manufacturing plants having large and continuous production. In small plants where the production is insufiicient to warrant the use of wholly automatic packers, closers and sealers, it is customary to pack the cases by hand,

and also, usually, to close and seal them by hand. A particular object of the present invention, there.. fore, is to provide an apparatus which assists the operator in packing the cases by hand and immediately thereafter closes and seals the case I automatically, thereby enabling the operator to pack and seal a larger number of cases per day with less effort than when the operations are done entirely by hand.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this sort which will handle cases differing to some extent in width and which is ad ustable to handle a considerable range of widths, and which is also quickly adjustable to accommodate cases of different height.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shipping case closing and sealing apparatus which is adapted to receive the filled cases with their inner or end bottom flaps closed but with the remaining flaps of the case extended.

The invention will be understood from a consideration of the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, by way of example. In these drawings;

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of approximateIy the righthand half of the apparatus, while Fig. 2 is a similar view of the lefthand half of the apparatus, these two views taken together illustrating the complete machine as viewed from the front.

2 I Fig. 3 is a proiectional or so-called perspective view of the intake or righthand end of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a central vertical section showin the details of a portion of the mechanism at the upper the moving parts of the apparatus and includes a diagram of electrical connections.

Referring now to the accompany drawings, the

apparatus comprises a packing and flap gluing section at the right half of the machine as shown in Fig. l, and a sealing or compression section at the left half as shown in Fig. 2. The various parts of the mechanism are supported on a suitable framework of steel shapes and iron castings, the machine as a whole being arranged as a single unitary structure from end to end. The mechanism for applying sealing pressure to the closed flaps of the cases or cartons will be described first.

This sealing mechanism comprises an endless belt I having a width suitable to accommodate the widest case which it is desired to have the machine handle. Belt l is trained over an idler pulley 2 toward t e right and around a driving pulley or drum 3 at the left, thence around a pair of take up pulleys 4, the remainder of the return reach to pulley 2 being hidden by the machine frame. The upper reach of belt I is supported in a horizontal plane by a series of closely spaced rollers as indicated. The belt is driven by means of an electric motor 5 (Fig. 6) which is operatively connected with drivin pulley 3 by means of a belt 6,

a speed reducer l and a chain 8 which drives a large sprocket 9 k yed to the outer end of the shaft ill for driving drum 3.

Arranged at a suitable distance above belt I is a parallel pressure applying belt ll. serves only to apply sealing pressure to the top of the cases as they are fed between the t o belts from the right toward the left, and for this pur pose the lower reach of belt I! is provided with a series of closely spaced rollers [2, which by their weight,'or with the aid of springs (not shown) urge the belt downward into contact with the cases.

Belt l l is not separately driven, but moves byfrictional engagement with the cases as they are carried forward by the lower belt I. For this reason belt H is trained over two idler pulleys l 3 at its opposite ends, and, in order that the belt may be adjustable for difierent height of cases,

This belt 3 these pulleys, as well as rollers I2, are supported in a common framework l4 which extends from end to end of the entire apparatus. The righthand portion of framework I4 serves to support parts of the gluing mechanism, as will presently appear.

The adjusting arrangement is such that both belt II and the gluing mechanism parts, which are adjustable to accommodate different heights of shipping cases, can be adjusted simultaneously and by manipulating a single adjusting member. Thus the opposite end portions of framework M are carried by two pairs of supporting heads l5 and I6, one head of each pair being immediately behind the other on the rear side of the machine.

Each of the heads l5 is supported to slide vertically on two parallel posts I! the lower ends of Which are anchored in frame castings.

Between these posts an adjusting screw I8 is arranged, the lower portion of this screw coopcrating with a nut or other stationary threaded member in the base of the apparatus. The upper end of screw 18 is connected by worm gearing (not shown) to an adjusting cross shaft IS on which an adjusting crank 20 is fixed. Shaft i9 is also arranged to turn a horizontal rod 2| which extends to the pair of heads it at the right portion of the machine, rod it being operatively connected to turn adjusting screws 18a of these two heads. Manipulation of crank 28 therefore serves to simultaneously raise and lower framework l4 maintaining it parallel with belt I and the path of travel ofthe cases through the packing and flap gluing portion of. the apparatus.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 3, the packin and flap closing mechanism comprises a smooth fiat elongated metal plate or platen 22 which extends longitudinally of the apparatus and is supported midway between the side frame members, as is indicated in Fig. 3.. At the right end of platen 22 is a packing station indicated generally by reference character A. To the left of packing station A are upper and lower pairs, of flap unfolders 24 and 25 in the form of warped surfaces, sometimes referred to as horns.

It will be understood that the second unfolder of each of these pairs is immediately behind unfolders 24 and 25. on the opposite side of the ma chine so that one unfolder 2Q operates on the front side flaps of the case and the other unfolder 24 serves to shift the position of the flap on. the opposite side of the case. Similarly with the two unfolders 25. It will be further under stood that these unfolders 24 .and 25 swing both the top and bottom side flaps outwardly to horizontal position and direct them into contact with two pairs of adhesive applying rollers 26 and 21. The two lower rollers 21 are shown in Fig. 6 as being mounted on a cross shaft 28 to which they are keyed. The two upper adhesive applying rollers 26 are mounted on a similar cross shaft 29 (Fig. 1) which is above and parallel with shaft 28 Adhesive applying rollers 26 and 21 receive adhesive from suitable adhesive receptacles ad jacentto them and apply it to the surfaces of the flaps in a well understood manner.

Beyond and to the left of these adhesive applying rollers are two pairs of stationary flap folding or closing devices or horns 36 and 3|. These devices are arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the apparatus to turn the outwardly extended flaps from the positions in which they leave the glue rollers 26 and 21 to fold them to closed position in engagement with the inner or end flaps.

These inner flaps have already been placed in closed position as will be described further on. There is an interruption in platen 22 opposite the left ends of lower folders 3i to allow the lower flaps to move into contact with the inner flaps, as is well understood. After leaving folders 3i) and 3| the case passes between the belts I and H of the sealing mechanism which maintain the flaps in contact with one another for a sufficient length of time for the adhesive to set.

The case is advanced along platen 22 from the packing position A to the position indicated at B, where it is taken by the pressure applying belts, in one continuous movement by means of a pair of conveyor chains 32 between which extend three equally spaced flight bars 33. Chains 32v are trained around idler sprockets 34 at the right end of the machine, from which they pass between guide members 35 in the form of channel bars to a pair of driving sprockets 3'6 which are. keyed to a cross shaft 31 near the center of the machine (Figs. 1 and 6). From. driving sprockets 35 the chains pass downwardly around a series of idler sprockets 38 and takeup sprockets 39 (Fig. 3), back to the right end of the machine.

The arrangement of the drive for the glue roller shafts 28 and 29 and for flight chains 32 may be understood from a consideration of Figs. 1, 2 and 6. These are all driven from a motor 40 which is operated continuously from any suitable source of electric power. Motor M is connected by a belt 4! to operate a pulley 42 which turns loosely on a cross shaft 43 and to which is fixed the driving member 44 of .a clutch mechanism. Motor 4.0 drives shafts 28 and 29 of the glue rollers through a speed reducer 4.5 to which it is connected by a belt 46. The low speed shaft of thespeed reducer has two sprockets il and 48 (Fig. 6). Sprocket 41 is connected by a chain 49 to operate lower glue roller shaft 28 and sprocket 48 by a chain 50 to operate upper shaft 29.

The driven member 5| of the clutch mechanism referred to in the previous paragraph is keyed to shaft 43 so. that when the two clutch parts 44 and 5! are engaged, shaft 43 turns and causes the flight chains 32 to advance. The operative connections'between these chains and shaft 43 include a belt 52 which is trained around a pulley fixed to shaft 43 and a pulley on the high speed shaft of a second speed reducing unit 53. The low speed shaft of this unit carries a sprocket which is connected through a chain 54 to a second sprocket keyed to the outer endof shaft?! on which the driving sprocket 36 for flight chains 32 are mounted. The intermittent drive of flight chains 32 is thus produced by the engaging and disengaging of clutch mechanism 44, to 5|.

The driven member 5! is shifted into and out of engagement with driving member 44 by means of a forked arm 55 which is formed as a downward extension of a sleeve-like hub 56 (Fig. 2) which,,in turn is mounted on a stationary horizontal shaft which is concealed by its supporting brackets. Secured to sleeve 56 adjacent its right end is a horizontal yoke member 5?, and the plungers of two solenoids 55, and 59 are connected through rods 60 and 6| to the opposite ends of this yoke.

Solenoids 58 and 59 are energized to cause the operation of clutch M, 5i by means of a starting switch 62 under the control of the operator and astopping switch 63 which is automatic in its operation. Tracing the circuits for these switches, the supply line conductors are indicated by numeral 64 and the circuit for solenoid 58 may be traced from the lower conductor 64 through the upper contacts of switch 62, and conductor 65 to solenoid 58, and thence to upper supply conductor 64. Current for solenoid 59 is supplied from lower supply conductor 64 through the lower contacts of switch 62 and conductor 61 to switch 63, thence through conductor 68 to solenoid 59 and back to the upper supply conductor 54.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, at the packing position A the righthand end portion of platen 22 serves to support the squared out packing case or carton while the operator places the articles in the case by hand. Platen 22 is here provided with two downwardly diverging metal plates or flap deflectors 69. At packing position A also is a horizontally movable flap control bar for holding the inner top flaps folded while the packing case is removed from packing position A by the movement of flight chains 32 and one of the flight bars 33. It will be understood that a horizontal stationary fin or bar (not shown) which is a customary part of apparatus of this kind, is arranged in alignment with and at the elevation of the lower surface of bar 70 to maintain the inner flaps closed during the passage of the case along platen 22 and in engagement with the outer flap folding mechanism, the adhesive applying mechanism and the outer flap closing mechanism, all as previously described.

Flap control bar 10 is provided with a handle H so as to be manually shiftable by the operator from the position shown in Fig. i to that shown in Fig. 5. The reverse movement of the flap control bar is produced by the case as it leaves the packing position. For this purpose flap control bar 70 is provided with a hook 12 at its rear end which is lowered into the path of the upper portion of the case as the operator manipulates the bar.

Flap control bar 10 is provided with a horizontal upper and rearwardly extending slotted portion 13 for supporting the bar. This portion 13 slides between two appropriately spaced guides 14 which are mounted in fixed relation to one another so as to permit portion 13 to slide freely between them. Guides M are mounted on a bracket member 15 which is fixed to cross rods forming part of the apparatus and which serve to support guides 14 and flap control bar 10 above the longitudinal center line of platen 22 and midway between pairs of longitudinally extending case guide bars l6, one pair being provided for each side of the case.

Guides 14 have longitudinally extending slots 11 in which a cross pin 18 fixed to the rear end of supporting portion 13 of flap control bar 70 slides. The bar is supported between guides 14 by means of pin 73 with the cooperation of a stationary pin 19 which connects the front ends of guides 14 and passes through the slot of slotted portion 13. The rear portions 80 of slot 11 in guides T4 are directed upwardly (Figs. 4 and 5) and serve to raise the rear end of bar 10 so as to disengage hook 12 from the case on the rearward movement of the bar. Starting switch 62 previously referred to i preferably of the micro-switch variety and is mounted on bracket 15 near the front end of guides 14. Switch 62 is provided with an operating lever Bl' having a roller 82 which is engaged by pin 18 at the end of the movement of flap control bar 76 by the operator.

Describing an operating cycle of the apparatus, the operator first removes a flattened case blank from a stack of these blanks, which is arranged at a convenient location, and squares up this blank by hand into tubular form, with the flaps extending in line with the sides of the case body. The operator then breaks the outer, or side, top flaps by hand, that is, bends them along their hinge lines where they join the case body. The operator also folds in the lower inner, or end, flaps and places the blank on platen 22 at the intake position near its right end. Simultaneously deflectors 69 break or spread outwardly the outer bottom flaps. The operator then places in the case the articles to be packed in it. The articles may be taken from a table or, as indicated in Fig. 3, from a conveniently arranged conveyor 83 which brings the articles to the packing position. As soon as the case is packed the operator pulls handle it to slide inner flap control bar Hi over the inner flaps, this movement automatically folds the left inner flap and the operator turns the righthand one under the bar as it is pulled forward.

The movement of bar 70 closes starting switch 62, as described above, simultaneously opening the lower contacts of the switch (Fig. 6), which serve as energizing contacts for the stopping switch 63. The closing of the upper contacts of switch 62 energizes solenoid 58 and causes the engagement of the clutch mechanism ie, thus placing shaft 43 in rotation to drive flight chains 32 and bring one of the night bars 33 into engagement with the case at the packing position and move it forward along platen 22.

The case engages hook E2 of fla control bar I0 and moves this bar back to its lefthand, and slightly tipped position, shown in Fig. 4, thereby disengaging the hook. The first part of the movement of bar '10 causes pin 18 to release roller 82 and the contacts of starting switch 52 return to their original position thereby closing the lower contacts and energizing stopping switch 63 which is open.

The movement of the case along platen 22 by flight bar 33 continues until the case reaches position B, where the front end of the case has been inserted far enough between the belts I and II of the sealing mechanism to cause these belts to continue the movement of the case into the sealing mechanism. The driving motor 5 for the sealing mechanism is started by the engagement of a lever 84 (Fig. 6) with the front end of the case at position B. This closes the contacts of a switch 85 (Fig. 1) in the motor circuit and the switch remains closed until lever 84 has been released by the case, whereupon the switch reopens and stops motor 5.

Substantially at the same instant that lever 84 is engaged by the case at position B, the operating lever 86 of stopping switch S3 is engaged by the upper edge of flight bar 33 and closes this switch as shown in Fig. 6. This of course energizes solenoid 59 and stops the further advance of flight chains 32. This flight bar 33 remains at position B, and the following flight bar 33' has been advanced ready for the next case. Stopping switch 63 is mounted for adjustment along the path of flight bars 33 in order to accommodate cases of different length.

As an example of the present invention we have illustrated and described one embodiment of it in considerable detail. It will be understood that changes may be made in the construction of the apparatus without departing from the spirit 7 or scope of the invention which the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described having an intake position, flap unfolding mechanism, adhesive applying mechanism, flap closing mechanism, flap sealing mechanism, a case support and a flight conveyor operable to move the filled case from the intake position into successive engagement with said flap unfolding, adhesive applying, flap closing and sealing mechanisms, the combination of a flap control bar for the inner top flaps at the intake position, said flap control bar being manually shiftable to overlie the closed inner top flaps and automatically retractable by the case as it leaves said packing station, a device actuated by said control bar to start said conveyor, and automatic means for stopping said conveyor when said case has reached the sealing mechanism.

2. In apparatus of the class described, an elongated platen for supporting filled cases, a pair of endless chains carrying spaced flight bars between them and adapted to move cases along said platen and successively into engagement with said mechanisms, driving means for said chains, a packing station adjacent one end of said I lat-en where a case to be packed may be placed by hand and supported on said platen during packing, flap unfolding mechanism for turning the case outer flaps outwardly, adhesive applying mechanism for applying flap adhesive and flap closing mechanism for closing said outwardly turned flaps, said mechanisms being disposed in spaced relation along said platen, a device under the control of the operator at said packing station for starting said endless chains to cause one of said flight bars to advance the packed case from said packing station along said platen and into successive engagement with said mechanisms, and automatic means for stopping said endless chains after the closure of said outer flaps.

3. In apparatus of the class described, an elongated platen for supporting filled cases, a pair of endless chains carrying spaced flight bars between them and adapted to move cases along said platen, driving means for said chains, a packing station adjacent one end of said platen where a is set forth in case to be packed may be placed by hand and supported on said platen during packing, flap unfolding mechanism for turning the case outer flaps to horizontal position, adhesive applying mechanism to apply adhesive to said flaps and flap closing mechanism to close said flaps, said mechanisms being disposed in spaced relation along said platen, a device movable by the operator at said packing station for simultaneously holdin the inner top flaps closed and for starting said endless chains to cause movement of one of said flight bars to advance the packed case from said packing station along said platen and into successive engagement with said mecha nisms, and automatic means for stoppingsaid endless chains after the closure of said outer flaps.

4. In apparatus of the class described having an elongated platen for supporting filled cases, case flap unfolding mechanism for turning the case outer flaps outwardly, adhesive applying mechanism to apply flap adhesive, flap closing mechanism to close said outwardly turned flaps, said mechanisms being disposed along said platen, a pair of endless chains carrying spaced flight bars between them constructed and arranged to move cases along said platen, driving means for said chains, and a packing station adjacent the intake end of said platen where a case to be packed may be placed by hand and supported on said platen during packing, the combination of a flap control bar disposed above said platen at the packing station, a mounting for said bar to allow substantially horizontal movement thereof in a direction longitudinally of said platen, said bar being movable manually in a direction opposite to the travel of said chains to a position overlying the inner top closed flaps to hold said flaps closed as the case leaves the packing position, a device actuated by said flap control during said manual movement thereof to set said endless chains in operation thus advancing the packed case from said packing station along said platen and into successive engagement with said mechanisms, said flap control bar being returned to its original position by engagement with the moving case, and automatic means for stopping the movement of said endless chains when the case has advanced along said platen beyond the-outer flap closing mechanism. i

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the flap control bar is arranged with a hook adjacent its rear end which is engaged by the forward end of the case to impart the return movement to the bar, and having the mounting means for the flap control bar constructed and arranged to raise the rear end of this bar as it is moved by the case so as to free the hook from the case and stop the motion of the bar.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the device for setting the endless chains in operation is disposed adjacent the flap control bar and actuated by a projection thereon during the final manual movement of this bar.

KAYE HOLSTEBROE. EDGAR ARDELL. H. STEPHEN KAYSER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

